Escaping Madness
by JustHeretoRead7
Summary: Wanting to escape the madness that is her family, Ruthie heads back to Scotland. Everything is going fine, until she comes face to face with a surprise at the airport. O/S/Marthie.


**Don't own it.**

"Do you have all your bags?" Annie asked her daughter. Ruthie nodded, pointing to where 3 duffel bags were stacked on top of each other, near the backdoor. The entire Camden household—Annie and Eric, Lucy and Kevin with Savannah, the twins—were all getting ready to tag along to the airport to see Ruthie off and to say goodbye before she headed off to Scotland.

"Are you sure that you have everything, sweetie?" Annie asked. Perhaps she was prolonging Ruthie's departure. While everyone else was sad to see her leaving, and tried to change her mind, Ruthie couldn't wait to flee the house and Glen Oak altogether. Too many memories; painful ones, that surround her. By going to Scotland, she would at least be another country; a whole other world away from him.

Eric came into the kitchen, and saw her bags by the door, waiting.

"We're gonna miss you, Ruthie." He told her.

Ruthie sighed and pasted a smile onto her lips. Lucy and Kevin came into the room then, and noticed the bags, too.

"Awe, Ruthie! I can't believe you're really leaving!" She said, getting teary-eyed. _Oh, here we go_, Ruthie thought to herself. Lucy was pregnant—and her hormones were running high. Not that that was anything unusual; but they had doubled since getting pregnant. Kevin rolled his eyes at his wife; he was use to her ways by now, still acted like a child.

"Ruthie—come into the living room with me for a minute, will ya?" He asked. Lucy and Ruthie both eyed him; Ruthie curiously, while Lucy suspiciously eyed her husband.

"For?" Asked Lucy.

Kevin sighed.

"I just wanna talk to her, okay Luce?"

Lucy shook her head. "You can say whatever you wanted to say to her, in front of me." She told him.

Again, Kevin sighed. Giving in, he began. "All right, fine. Now, Ruthie. While you're in Scotland, I want you to be safe. Do you know what I'm talking about?" He paused to allow her to answer. Ruthie had an idea, but didn't want to voice it. Instead, she just shook her head.

"Okay. I'm talking about boys—"

"Stop! Please."

"Stop right there!" Lucy and Ruthie said together.

"She doesn't need 'the talk,' dear husband." Lucy told him, putting her foot down.

"I just want to make sure that she's prepared incase anything should happen!" Kevin defended himself.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I believe that you prepared with her Harry, Vince and all of the others. She'll be Ok." Lucy said firmly.

Kevin slumped his shoulders while Ruthie shook her head.

"And everyone wonders why I want to escape this town." She muttered.

Lucy's head shot up, her eyes glassy.

"You d—don't like being around us, Ruthie? We're your family!" She wailed. Ruthie just rolled her eyes.

Patting Lucy's shoulder, she said, "You'll get over it in a few minutes…or hours." She started to walk away, with Kevin following behind her.

"This is _Lucy_ you're talking to!" He hissed in her ear from behind. Ruthie turned around, smirking.

"Yeah—and as her husband, it's your duty to tend to her needs." They both looked to where Lucy was—in the kitchen, snacking on Oreos.

Kevin nodded solemnly and headed back into the kitchen to Lucy.

A moment later, Lucy exclaimed, "I can't eat these! Kevin! Why'd you let me eat these? I'm gonna…gonna…" That was it; she lost it. Sobs escaped her. Ruthie rolled her eyes at Lucy's antics.

"I'm _faaat_!" Lucy wailed. Ruthie shook her head and walked out of the hallway, into the foyer and saw Eric coming down the stairs.

"What is that? It sounds like someone is dying," He said. Ruthie smirked.

"Lucy." Was all she said.

Eric took on a look of surprise.

"That's _Luce?_ What did Kevin do, now?" Annie asked, having heard the last part of the conversation. Ruthie shook her head.

"Nothing. Lucy's just hormonal—well, more so than usual, anyway. Are we ready to go, yet?" Yes; she could not wait to get out of there. Escape the madness that was called the Camden family household. Annie nodded.

"Yes—just let me load the boys into the van; who are you riding with?" She asked with hope in her voice. Annie was hopeful that Ruthie would choose to ride with them. Ruthie was about to say 'With Lucy and Kevin,' but thought better of it. She was afraid that Kevin would try and ambush her with 'the talk' in the car—where she wouldn't be able to escape it. Although, why he would want to do that, she didn't know. What with a pregnant slash hormonal Lucy in the car, who had a tendency to slap him upside the head.

"You guys." She answered in a bored voice.

Eric and Annie nodded, smiling. Kevin came out just then, holding all three of Ruthie's bags. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.

"Lucy," he mouthed to her. She nodded, getting it.

"All right! Let's go!" Annie hollered . Everyone—minus Kevin and a still upset Lucy—shuffled into the mini van.

**Escape**

"**O**h, come on! You really _do not_ want to mess with me!" They heard from a few feet behind them. They had gotten through customs already, and were waiting on Lucy and Kevin to do so.

"You really _don't_," Kevin agreed, knowing very well what Lucy was capable of.

"Ma'am, is that a threat?" The security guard asked. Before Lucy could say anything, Kevin answered.

"She's pregnant, sir."

The guard must have caught on, because two minutes later, they were through and everyone was heading towards the gate for Ruthie's plane, with a pissed off Lucy. They all took their seats and waited.

**Escape**

"**F**light 681, now boarding!" The woman by the terminal announced. Everyone stood up, and took their turns with hugging and saying goodbye to Ruthie. She knelt down and hugged her brothers goodbye, and then her parents. She grabbed the one duffel bag that she kept as a carry-on, and slung it over her shoulder. She started to walk towards the line that had formed to get on the plane.

"Wait!" They all heard from behind them. Ruthie froze, recognizing the voice. It was the whole reason that she was even going to Scotland—apart from the fact that she wanted a little adventure and see some culture. She slowly turned around—with what seemed like minutes—and came face-to-face with Martin Brewer.

"Martin?" She asked as casually as she could. She took in the sight of him—he looked different. His hair was a bit longer, and he was more…sculpted.

"Where are you going?" He asked breathlessly from running through the airport.

"Scotland." Short and simple.

Martin frowned.

"You were just gonna leave and not tell me anything?" He asked incredulously.

"Oh, kinda like _you_ did?" Ruthie shot back at him, wanting to shut him up. And it worked.

"Martin… What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with…your son?" She asked. In her head, she was thinking 'with Sandy and Aaron,' but couldn't bring herself say Sandy's name out loud.

Martin shook his head. "Sandy has him. And I heard that you were leaving. Why are you going back to Scotland, Ruthie?"

Ruthie sighed and looked at the line; she still had some time left.

"Who'd you hear it from?"

"Jane."

Ruthie rolled her eyes.

"Great. Another reason why I'm leaving."

"Why _are_ you leaving, Ruthie? Answer me that. Your problems are still gonna be here when you get back!" He told her gently but firmly.

Ruthie nodded. "You're right."

Martin looked at her, confused.

"You'll still be here." She clarified for him; possibly wanting to hurt him a little. It seemed to work; Martin's face fell slightly.

"Ruthie…," He started, but trailed off. Unsure of how to continue.

She shook her head. "No. I gotta go. They're boarding—as you can see."

"I love you, Ruthie."

She looked around. She didn't need this; couldn't deal with it.

"Then come with me; it's not too late to get you a seat on that plane." She said.

Martin looked torn. He wanted to; God, did he want to. But, he had responsibilities in Glen Oak.

"I can't, Ruthie. You know that. I have—"

"Aaron and Sandy." She finished for him; he nodded.

"I have to go."

"Ruthie—" He reached out for her, but she recoiled.

"Martin," She gathered every last ounce of strength that she had, "-you saw me as a sister for practically four years. For years, I tried to get your attention; and nothing worked! You noticed every other girl, except for me—because you saw me as your _sister_. And finally, you made it crystal clear that summer, that _that_ was I was to you. And, I finally accepted it. So, please; just leave it alone. And let me go to Scotland and be free."

She started to walk to the line to hand over her ticket, when Martin stopped her.

"Ruthie—um, just call me when you get to there. I don't care what it costs." He told her.

Ruthie didn't say anything, only looked at him one last time before she handed her ticket to the lady at the stand and got ready to board.

With one final look back at her family, she was careful to avoid him, she boarded.

But she couldn't help and have one final look at him, knowing that she wouldn't be seeing him for a very long time.

"_It's possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems, and that in time, the grief…lessons. It may not go away completely, but after a while it's not overwhelming._**" ~Nicholas Sparks**

**A/N** Feedback welcomed.

**.**


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